Deviating from The Norm
by Teenage-Oddball
Summary: [Humanized] After all they've been through, James and Edward are finally on their way to having the family they've always wanted but it still isn't enough. After Edward's stellar pregnancy, complications arise so that he can't have the private, comfortable home-birth that he's always wanted. James is much happier with him being in a safe environment. He's not taking any chances.
1. Not Part of The Plan

Author's Notes:

 **Fandom:** Thomas And Friends (In this story, any character's present are in a humanized state.)

 **Fan-fiction:** _Deviating from The Norm - Chapter 1: Not Part of The Plan_

 **Pairings:** EdwardxJames

 **Warning:** Yaoi and Trans-Mreg. **Please read** _ **Deviation**_ **before you begin reading this fan-fiction** **for context and continuity.**

* * *

Even at motorway speeds, James couldn't help but feel that he driving too slowly, given the circumstances. He was thankful that the roads were pretty clear, so the radio host had informed him. Despite the selection of music they also played appealing to James' own tastes, the 10 minutes of adverts that came in between reminded him of why he wasn't a regular listener. During that time, his attention ricocheted between the road and Edward, sat in the passenger seat in the same position as when he reluctantly entered the car; He had one hand tucked underneath his protruding abdomen, stroking it absentmindedly with his thumb, while the other tugged at the initial stretch of his seat belt to take the pressure off his bump. James remembered a time when Edward looked so destitute but this time, there was nothing he could do to relieve him that wasn't beyond his power. Well, apart from turning the car around and heading back to their already overcrowded home but that was out of the question. Still, he thought that he'd ask, just in case, since he was feeling a little helpless as well.

"Eddie, babe?" While they were coasting down the M56, James took his hand off the gearstick and rested it on Edward's leg. He was surprised Edward didn't flinch, given how sensitive he'd claimed to be these past few months. Instead, Edward tensed, the sound of James' concern aggravating him for some reason, probably because he knew that James was going to ask him if there was anything he could do to help, but he was too exhausted to repeat the same answer and get the same response back. The touch almost caused him to snap at him but he was too reasonable for that; Baby-brain wouldn't take away the entirety of his rational thought.

"I can't remember the last time you went this fast," Edward latched onto the first thing that popped into his head and changed the subject.

James didn't even think to make an innuendo. He took the statement literally, "Really? I do." And he did, and when he recalled that moment, those circumstances, a dampness struck him that made him feel like he was carrying twins for a moment. He hoped Edward understood exactly what moment he was referring to and it made him feel the same way, reminding him of the gravity of the situation, of how important it was that they actually got a baby (or babies) at the end of it all and how much more a hospital increased those chances. Although, that moment gave evidence to the contrary.

* * *

 **A year earlier:**

"Oi, Eddie, wait for me!" James called out but it proved to be fruitless. He sped up his action of pressing the lock button on the car keys, also to no avail.

"After you were speeding down that motorway, I think I can afford to run ahead," Edward called back, though he did slow down, turn around and proceed to walk backwards, a spring in every step, every movement. The glee on his face only increased when he saw James' face of irritation waiting for the lights on the back of the car to flash.

"Eddie, the car isn't locking!" He moaned.

"James, use the bloody key!" Edward mimicked his tone.

"Well, what else would I use?"

"No, put the key in the lock."

"Why should I have to do that when it should lock when I press the button?" James slammed the car key into the lock and turned it vigorously.

Edward finally paused to give James a chance to catch-up and relayed his excitement to his hands, to which he proceeded to fidget and rub them together, though it wasn't cold outside, "James, if you're that bone-idle, then leave it. Come on."

"Eddie, we have blown three and a half thousand on this baby before we've even brought it home. We can't afford to have the car stolen," James re-joined Edward, slipping his arm round his waist. He could feel the excitement and vibrancy in his step. It's not that James wasn't excited to meet their baby, but the practical things still tugged on his consciousness, "We're lucky Molly didn't ask for any support fees either."

"I can't believe she did it for nothing, all of that," Edward marvelled, though he struggled to sound sympathetic in his excitement, especially as they had just rocked up to the entrance to the Liverpool Women's Hospital. A sign for the maternity ward made him tug on James' hand. Even he was getting a little giddy.

"Then again, she has got her billionaire hubby paying her rent. How many houses do they own on the South Coast of bloody France or is it just the couple of yachts or is it both?"

"I'll tell you what: I wouldn't mind being a pound behind them… Or a Euro behind, whatever."

Spotting the Maternity Reception, Edward sped ahead once again, slipping out of James' grasp. He didn't follow straight away, distracted by passing couple with their new-born tucked into a baby carrier, reminding him that he hadn't brought theirs inside. Then again, Edward would probably insist on carrying the child to establish a connection, aside from the fact that there was no way they would get the carrier to convert back into a car seat within a reasonable amount of time.

"Hello! I take it you're not patients," A lady with an apparent willingness to help beamed at them from the desk, also getting a buzz from their elation.

"I don't think so unless there's something Edward isn't telling me," James quipped, to which Edward quickly responded.

"Yes, I need some anti-depressants because I have to live with this conceited nightmare," He gestured towards James.

"Excuse me, 'nothing wrong with being confident."

The receptionist giggled at their banter, "Well, unfortunately, I can't give you a prescription for that but is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh, yes! Sorry. We're looking for Molly, Molly Stratford. She gave birth yesterday, late," Edward kept rattling off specific details, as if they would help the receptionist find her quicker.

She made polite conversation as she studied her desktop, "So, are you friends of hers, family…?" The couple turned to face each other, expecting the other to clarify. Edward was a little timid to reveal their situation. Though surrogacy wasn't unheard of in this day and age, who the child was going to sometimes provoked people to raise a couple of irrelevant issues to which Edward would've been quick to dismiss. He would defend him and James and their parenting capabilities until he was blue in the face but not here. He didn't think it was place for such a debate.

James cut through the 'ums' and ahs', "It's complicated."

The Receptionist chuckled, "This new computer system is complicated. I've seen all kinds of situations stagger through that door, some begging for an epidural and some with enough balloons to replenish our helium supplies. Go on, humour me." Her tone was welcoming, understanding but before Edward could unload with ease, her face lit up as she came across Molly's room number, as well as other things that made her draw her own conclusions, "Oh my goodness, is she your surrogate?" She looked up at them both with a face strikingly similar to those of some of their house mates when they told them of their wishes, with a gaping smile and buzzing, wide eyes. Edward and James turned to each other and mimicked her expression, getting a little closer to having that wish granted. "Oh my-. You've not met your baby yet, have you? Gosh, I'm sorry I kept you!" She scribbled the room number on a sticky note and thrusted it across the counter to them, "She's in zero zero seven. I'm sure you'll find it, the signs are pretty good."

Edward butt in to calm her down, "Thank you! Thank you so much." He took James' hand, not noticing that he was already engrossed in the signs. Her enthusiasm only enthralled them more.

"You're very welcome! And, congratulations," She called, her day a little brighter. She almost had the patience to face the irrational sixteen year old in zero zero eight.

Edward and James darted through the ward. It seemed like they knew the way almost instinctively, which is what they'd both rather believe, but the signs were very good. They eventually came to a point where they could see a door with the correct room number. They slowed themselves down for that final stretch while their minds became preoccupied with the possibilities of what lay beyond that door. Both were a little anxious, having not had the full benefit of nine months' worth of bonding with the baby as other parents may have had. How would the baby interact with them? Would they be uncomfortable? Would they prefer being in Molly's arms? Though some would argue that all babies look very much the same, James began to wonder about their child's appearance. Who would inherit what from whom? Meanwhile, Edward continued to worry about more significant things.

They passed the door of a room, containing a labouring woman. They didn't acknowledge her presence at first, but a moan, emanating from the room, suddenly transformed in to a cry for salvation. The embedded hostility startled James a little, but it truly rattled Edward. To him, it sounded just like Molly. He felt a twang in his abdomen and bit his lip while clenching his fist gradually, with James' hand trapped inside. It didn't hurt but James sensed the pressure and on Edward's face, he saw a worry, eating away at his psyche.

"Woah. Eddie, what's the matter?" His partner continued to crush his lip in aggravation from James' inquisition. He nodded his head towards the door from which the scream came from. A bit too subtle for James, "What? Babe, just tell me."

"That pain!" Edward hissed, "She went through that, James."

"Edward," James began, sternly, suddenly, "We've talked about this," He said, pausing, to see whether he need to reaffirm what had been said.

"No, I know but…" Edward also hesitated. He now wished that he hadn't spoken out, it having dispelled James' excitement.

"But, what?"

"Why her?"

"Because she volunteered!"

"She wouldn't have had to-."

"Eddie, if you're feeling guilty, just blame me, alright? I wouldn't stick it in you, at the end of the day," James shrugged. He too then realised both of their moods had shifted, far from what he wanted their child to be introduced to, "Babe, they'll still be your baby," He rested his hands on Edward's shoulders and popped a kiss on his forehead, "No matter whose vagina they came from."

A familiar, foreign voice, full of pep, addressed James, out of sight, "I know that cockney, vulgar tongue!"

"And I know exactly what you're saying, even with that accent," The banter ricocheted, "So, they haven't deported you, yet?" James quipped.

"Nope, they just made me head of the department," He patted James on the back, smirking under the assumption that he'd won that one.

Edward preferred a different, more polite style of greeting, having not seen the small man for a while and certainly not in his black and red-striped uniform, providing evidence for his promotion, "Victor? Wow!" He congratulated, with a handshake.

"Nice to see you, Edward," Victor pulled him in for a friendly hug, as affectionate as he was, "You both look well. I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be in here, or are… you…?" His joke faded like laughter when he became occupied with the two old acquaintances holding each other's hands.

"We've already had the 'Who's expecting?' joke from the receptionist," James clarified, not he was tired of it; it made him think gleefully of their future parenthood.

Victor noticed the silence. He didn't know whether it was appropriate but he spoke his mind. It was all he could think to say, "What's this?" He gestured towards their hands, sounding inquisitive.

"We're together," James proclaimed, proudly. He didn't even need to look to Edward for clarification for Victor's sake. His slightly smaller partner had already rested his head on his shoulder, their hands still clasped together.

"Oh my gosh, really?" Victor spluttered, his wide-open eyes darting between the two of them.

"Don't sound so surprised," Edward gave him a little nudge. He knew he wasn't offended by their relationship but still.

"No! I'm sorry!" Victor bowed his head, chuckling to himself," It's just, James, definitely; we all knew you were gay. But Edward, I never would have…" He paused, carefully studying their facial expressions to make sure he hadn't offended them with his somewhat closed-minded comment. When they both shrugged, chuckling themselves, he smiled, "Well, congratulations! But what are you doing here? Is there something I can help you with?"

"I think we're alright, Victor."

"We here to see Molly, but we've found her okay," James smiled.

Victor's expression flipped again. He looked almost as startled as he did after their previous announcement, "No… She's…She's _your_ surrogate?" He earned a hasty nod in response from the couple, who still hadn't met their child, "Wow! Not that it surprises me now but, wow, you two made one good looking kid."

"Ooo…" James nudged Edward, with a sly grin.

"Oh! No, you still haven't met h-. Nope, I won't spoil the gender!" Victor waved his hands apologetically, "You guys, go ahead. I'm sorry I kept you. Congratulations." He rushed off but not before giving Edward a farewell tap on the shoulder.

"Bye!" The couple said in unison, laughing at their synchronisation.

No more distractions could keep them from their future. Now, at the door to Molly's hospital room, James grabbed the handle hastily, only to have Edward come between them to knock first. In true Edward fashion, sighed James. After the knock, nothing but silence echoed from the room. Edward knocked again, deciding to accompany it, "Molly, it's only us." He called cheerfully. After a brief pause, there came a reply, albeit a very quiet one. James pushed the door handle down but let Edward push the door and enter first.

Of course, the little bundle in Molly's arms was one of the first things they noticed in the room.

Of course, it was all James was really interested in at that moment, "Hello," He said softly, as to not alarm whoever lay concealed in the blankets Molly had hold of.

Edward tried to ignore the bundle. He felt rude not to ask how Molly was first, "Hey Mol." He waited for James to sit on the only chair, as was in his nature. As in James's nature, he took the chair, but offered Edward his lap in return, which was gratefully accepted.

"Hi guys," Molly finally responded, a little louder than before, but still, her tone emanated her mood, as did her cold, drained appearance. She didn't even have to energy to look at them, it seemed.

"How are you feeling?" Edward asked politely, though he wasn't sure that she wanted to talk about the past 24 hours.

"Well, you know? I've just given birth; terrible," She smiled weakly.

Edward chuckled, thinking she was trying to lighten the mood. He didn't hear James respond, and when he looked at him, saw that he was totally engrossed in the new-born Molly held, a little smile on his face. Edward knew that once they both saw the child, the focus would be taken off Molly. It didn't feel right for him. He gave James a little nudge, encouraging him to be a bit more polite.

James slowed dragged his gaze away from the baby. He shrugged discretely at Edward. His partner sighed and flicked his head towards Molly. James read the gesture a little differently, "So, who's this then, Mol?" He gestured towards the baby, keeping hold of Edward and leaning in, to get a better look at their child. Edward rolled his eyes.

"You have a…" She looked up, finally. Her eyes widened at her words. She rephrased, "It's a little girl."

"Oh my god," James gasped, covering his mouth. He pulled Edward a little closer giving him an opportunity to receive a kiss on the head.

Edward giggled, he could feel James' leg jig with excitement, "You wanted a girl, didn't you?"

"Mm-hm," James replied a little shakily. He never suspected he'd be welling up, he never did this when he watched 'One Born Every Minute' with Edward, in the months leading up to this moment.

Edward was a little sore that Molly hadn't even offered to let them hold her yet, given James was now borderline sobbing. It only made him want to hold her more. Now, he rushed things, "Molly, do you think we could…?" He held his arms out to her, hoping she gathered what he meant.

She looked down at the little girl, but didn't look confused. She hesitated but looked up with a smile, which Edward felt was somewhat fake, "Of course, yeah." She shifted her arms towards the couple, revealing more and more of the child the closer she got until James spluttered, erupting into a sob.

She was so much like Edward; so beautiful. She had such a sweet face. In all honestly, James was expecting her to look like a potato. My god, was he overwhelmed with how wrong he was in that assumption. His mind overflowed with his plans and intentions, the excitement too much for him to contain. How he'd shower her in everything he couldn't give to even Edward. Though, he could support Edward's career by going to see him when he performed in shows, he couldn't do much beyond that. Edward was very independent in the ways that James wished he could help with. He so looked forward to the years they all had together, seeing Edward as enthralled as he was to have the child they'd always wanted.

Edward would have comforted James before attending to their child, who was clearly content in the arms of Molly, having spent 9 months in astoundingly close contact with her. However, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling from staring at her smile. Again, though the child wasn't distressed, he took her from Molly swiftly but gently. He sank into James arms, now relaxed with their little girl in his grasp. He could finally admire her, in all her innocence and potential.

"She looks like you, doesn't she?" James dried his eyes, reaching out to touch their daughters head. She looked as good as she felt, her skin so pure, "Definitely got your nose."

"Poor thing," Edward smiled, before popping a light kiss on her nose. She emanated a relaxed moan, making Edward shiver a little, giddy from what he felt was a connection. He felt more and more reassured that she knew who her parents were instinctively, "She's got your eyes, I think," Edward said, shakily, getting a little teary eyed himself.

"Really?" James quickly directed his attention back to the new born, specifically her now opened eyes. They were drearily focused on Edward, studying him. James tried to get her attention, "Hello gorgeous," He spoke softly. She squirmed a little, which James assumed was so she could get a better look at who just addressed her. But, she lay in unfamiliar arms. Though quite comfortable and quite warm, it made her apprehensive. She didn't like this change, almost as much as she disliked leaving that equally warm space she'd been in for 9 months. She shivered a little, building up a sob, putting James on edge, "No, it's alright," He put his other arm around Edward's which held their little girl, hoping to reassure her, maybe bond with her.

Edward took a quick glance at Molly, whose gaze was fixated on the baby; she seemed to notice that the child was uncomfortable. But, of course, she would be, Edward bit his lip. The girl had never met them before. It would take time. Molly looked like she was just going to snatch the child away and give up on them. It infuriated Edward to think that that's what may be in her head. He dove right in, establishing who were truly this child's parents, "It's alright, Millie."

James nudged him, "You like my name?" He smirked, feeling pleased with himself.

"It suits her, doesn't it?"

"It does," Molly finally spoke up, with a genuine smile this time. Edward smiled back, approving of her comment, albeit, a little out of guilt, "It's a lovely name."

"Cheers," James jumped in, as quick as he turned back to Millie. He mimicked her newly formed scowl.

"I don't think she likes it, " Edward teased, regaining his gentleness when she finally broke out into tears, "Oh…shh."

"She's probably hungry," Molly reassured, gesturing for Edward to hand-over Millie, to which he did, more willingly than he would have been 3 minutes ago. "She's been asleep most of the day, so…" She casually undid her hospital gown, the sound of the clips appearing to sooth Millie, as her cries became whimpers. When she was settled and feeding, Molly slumped back unto the many pillows propping her up. The angle of her torso caused her parted gown to slip a little, revealing her other breast slightly. Edward only noticed when he felt James' leg shift firmly beneath him, so he was no longer facing the tit. He took a sharp breath in, covering his mouth, cringing at the sight of it. Edward spluttered in a laugh at his irrationality. Molly didn't take it that lightly, "James, I've got to feed her, for god's sake-."

"No, Mol', don't take it personally," Edward jumped in, stifling his laughter, "He's as bent as a nine bob note. He hates tits."

"Ewgh," James lurched at the sound of the word, putting an image in his head, "I can't stand 'em. I hate the female body," He accentuated the word 'hate.' It was so over-exaggerated one would doubt his sincerity.

"Wow, I must make a pretty good man, then," Edward teased, nudging him for a compliment.

James, finally having taken his hand away from his face, nuzzled Edward's chin, "The best man, ever," He said, sloppily but sweetly, making Molly chuckle, half-heartedly. Her lack of enthusiasm for their chemistry rattled James a little, rendering his tone a little blunt, "So, Mol', have you signed the papers?"

The pause took its toll on them all, because they all knew that the question would need to be answered but it was the answer that troubled them.

Finally, Molly responded, "No," with a drone, not serious in the slightest, as if she had forgotten to do so rather than intentionally avoiding it. James bit his lip at her infantile response, receiving a sharp nudge from Edward, expected, really, though James didn't see that he was being unreasonable. They were the papers that would enable him and Edward to actually take the child – Millie, their little girl – that they had waited for, for so long, home. It was unreasonable, the way that Molly treated this case.

Edward stepped in, as open-minded as ever, "Why? Is there something you don't understand? There are a lot of academic words in there that one wouldn't use in normal conversation, so they wouldn't," He mimicked such a way of speaking, but no one seemed to enjoy his mockery. In fact, it seemed to disgust Molly. He thought that he'd maybe insulted her intelligence, but her guilty expression made him revoke his remorse. Molly opened her mouth to speak but her slow start gave Edward the chance to blockade her words in her mouth, "Molly?" He inquired coldly, to give her a chance to change her words; he knew what was coming.

James could feel Edward shivering, in small but firm bursts. He saw his lips tucked in, held together by his teeth. He didn't know what he was trying to keep in. He was so blissfully unaware of everything for a brief moment in which Molly attempted to salvage herself to tell them what she had planned with some semblance of order and understanding.

She figured that Edward knew, so she didn't say. She didn't want to say. She only justified, "I thought I could do it. I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think I could do it. But…But you saw how quickly you fell in love with her – your beautiful girl – when you first saw her and I couldn't. I can't. I can't let her go."

Edward felt James thrust himself off the seat, pushing him off his lap, but that certainly wasn't what made him queasy. He hobbled over to a surgical waste bin. The shaking was throwing him in every direction. He didn't know what to do. This was far from what he had prepared for. He was angry, he was furious. There's was no upset. There was no helplessness yet. James would fight this corner.

Molly tried to keep an eye on Edward, that she may call a nurse if he needed it. But James loomed over her like a shadow, his sudden movements keep her attention fixed.

"You didn't feel that way when she was inside you," He stated, every consonant fired like machine gun.

"It's different, holding her," She replied quickly, "She…" Molly figured that it would be best not to speak for a child that could not speak for itself, "I feel a bond, now that I can see her, feel her. She knows who I am."

"She'll get to know us, Mol." He gripped the railing of Molly's hospital bed with both hands, shuffling them like he was revving a motorbike.

"It's not about her, it's about me."

"And what about us?" James gestured blindly towards where he thought his other half was. He hadn't comprehended that Edward had his head hanging over the bin.

"I'm sorry, I really am-."

"Don't you dare!" James barked with a ferocity that transmitted into his hands as he shook her bed. His next word were nigh on silent but deadly, "If you were sorry, you would give us our baby, that we've waited for. That's all we want. She's made us so happy and we've not even known her like, um…" He blubbered through his coherent thoughts.

When he was finished, Molly spoke up for her side, "And what about what I want? What makes me happy?" She lifted Millie slightly.

"So, someone has to lose," Edward finally found the calmness to form a clean sentence, despite him still shaking. Despite Molly and Edward's reason with morals, James saw only the opposing side to be in the wrong; the baby was his and Edward's, it had their genes.

"Don't put it like that, Edward. You would still be able to visit her-."

"It's not the same though, is it? Because it wouldn't be the same if we took her home and said that you could visit, would it?" Edward hissed, making Molly succumb to the distain of her decision.

She offered what she deemed to be suitable consolidation, though her solemn tone suggested that she knew it wasn't enough, "I know what you had to get through to get Millie here. I know it was expensive but I will pay the I.V.F. and I-."

"I don't want…" James' timer reached zero, "...your fucking money! I want our baby!"

Molly swiftly clicked a button beside her bed without contact. A red one surely wasn't a good sign. Edward wasn't prepared to relay the events to a security team to justify their actions, "James," The couple finally turned to face each other. The difference in their skin tones would be enough to make anyone feel queasy themselves. James' cheeks were quite pink, but Edward was as blank as a canvas. James only turned a deeper shade of red when he saw no tears on Edward's face. He thought he didn't care. "We have to go."

"No. We stay, and we fight!"

James' over-exaggeration just rattled Edward even more than his lack of logic at times, "With what, James? She's got the law on her side, for god's sake! They don't care how you feel. They don't even care how I feel; I didn't give birth to the thing…" In all fairness, his aggravation clouded his limits, "…because you wouldn't let me."

There was nothing James could say to defend himself. He couldn't find anything to say at all. He skulked out of the room, avoiding acceptance as usual.

* * *

 **The present day:**

Looking back on it, at the time, it seemed so hard for James to admit fault. Of course, the animosity had been resolved since then. Evidently, seen as Edward was pregnant and the prospect of him giving birth expected to come within 48 hours, by James's estimate. It would be hard enough to swallow for those who don't truly know Edward, but even James never intended for him to be in this situation. He'd never seen his partner in pain. He didn't want to, but it was a certainty. Him watching re-runs of 'One Born Every Minute' reinforced the eventuality of the screaming, the crying, despite Edward's reassurance of him having a high-pain threshold, and the varied birth videos they'd watched in between, of some women who didn't even flinch during contractions. He was blinded by fear and what he felt was a lack of preparation for this moment. I mean, they would've been planning Millie's second birthday had plans not been torn up and rearranged.

"But, it doesn't matter. It's worth it; we're gonna have babies by the end of this," He nodded through his statement.

"Absolutely," Edward concurred, "Without a doubt. They're here," He placed James' free hand on his abdomen, earning a satisfied smile, reassuring him to push on, "They're not going anywhere, unless I give birth. So, why don't we head back home and give birth there? Then, there's definitely no chance of a mix up afterwards." He said with glee, in the hopes of stirring James' conscience. There was only a small shake of the head. Edward frowned, "Also, I can be in the most compromising position I've ever been in, in the comfort of my own home, in my own bed, with the midwife that's been looking at my vagina for weeks now as opposed to giving birth in a room full of strangers."

"Eddie, you can't give birth without contractions and at the moment, you're not having any."

"Then, we go home and wait!"

"We can't. Your waters have already broken and you're prone to infection. The hospital's the safest place. That's what Hiro said, and you clearly trust his judgement. It's sterile," James' accentuated each word, as if he was sick of saying it. Edward was just as sick of hearing it, "Babe, I'm all for the home birth. I don't wanna make you feel uncomfortable but I don't want to put you or the babies in danger and it's not safe."

"I know," Edward rubbed his eyes, exhausted from the repetition, but not too tired that he didn't feel the need to moan about it, "But it's not fair."

"I know it's not babe," James fondled the bump with thumb, "But plans change. Heaven forbid, we should know about that," He said quietly, giving Edward a well needed nudge towards healthily accepting the situation.

"It's not gonna finish where it started, is it?" Edward slipped in an innuendo to further cool the atmosphere.

"Nope, but it's gonna have a great ending if it finishes up where we're going."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _Well, people seem to like this head-canon so it gave me an excuse to write more and plague this fandom with something it (not surprisingly) lacked: M-Preg or at least, Trans-M-Preg. This is a plot-line I've had in my head for a while now and think about a lot but I've never put it onto paper until now because I was also thinking of this fandom's potential reaction to it. Considering its disdain for shipping, heaven knows what they'd think of M-Preg, even though every other fandom I know would either support it or steer clear of it if they didn't. This head-canon, inspired by some of you lovely people, makes this plot a bit more liable. So, here it is. **How odd can you get?**_

 _ **Please leave an in-depth review** if you have the time, while this is something I've wanted so to desperately share with you for a while. I would love more than a 'I like this.' Tell me **why** you liked it and even better, **anything you think I could improve upon**._

 _Thomas And Friends Characters © HIT Entertainment_  
 _Fan-fiction © Teenage-Oddball_


	2. This is not a Drill

Author's Notes:

 **Fandom:** Thomas And Friends (In this story, any character's present are in a humanized state.)

 **Fan-fiction:** _Deviating from The Norm - Chapter 2: This is not a Drill_

 **Pairings:** EdwardxJames

 **Warning:** Yaoi and Trans-MPreg. **Please read** ** _Deviation_** **before you begin reading this fan-fiction for context and continuity.**

* * *

James could only hold Edward's hand when they strolled together, as opposed to having his arm around his waist. The bump weighed Edward's slender frame down but he wouldn't be aided. He kept himself as upright as he could, in the hopes that his top would ride up a little, showing his belly wasn't a pillow or a balloon, and this wasn't a hoax. Even if it was perceived to be a prank, no one saw the funny side. The sneers of rejection from other visitors and patients to the Liverpool Women's were even more damaging to the couple's pride, given that they were here for the same reasons. This whole process had made Edward feel so alienated from the norm, almost as much as when he was transitioning to the man he knew was meant to be. His exterior bore the impression he now wanted to make upon the world, bar the bump.

James was becoming increasingly agitated when he couldn't spot Victor in the main vicinity of the maternity ward. He knew they were coming. He knew the circumstances and all of the above. Why was he leaving them so exposed, knowing those circumstances? "Eddie, where the frig' is he?"

"He's probably been called to an emergency or something. He's booked us in, they know we're coming," Edward groggily replied, dragging James over to the receptionist. He pulled back slightly, indicating for Edward to sit down in the waiting area while he went up and dealt with the formalities. They shared a gentle kiss as James helped Edward set himself down, so he didn't fall too quickly. He left the impromptu birthing-bag by Edward's side and sauntered as casually as he could over to reception.

He caved in a little when the lady they'd last encountered at the hospital wasn't sat where she had been. A much older woman sat in her place, with a look of disinterest ruining her face as she stared at her monitor. James answered as chirpily as he could, hoping she would reciprocate the mood, "Hiya love. We rang in before. My… um, partner's waters have broken but he's…they're having no contractions." He chose his words carefully.

She looked up with a sweet smile, "Hiya love. What's the name?"

James felt a little more at ease, "Um, Edward Sharp-Stuart." The receptionist's eyes widened a little as she typed so James quickly continued. Perhaps, the more he told, the more feasible it might seem, "We rang Victor before we came. We're friends with him, you see? He said he'd book us in."

"Honey," James' felt his teeth twinge when he grit them together, the tone of her voice demeaning and insulting, "We are one of the busiest maternity wards in Europe. We don't have the time or the room for these kinds of pranks."

"Are you taking the piss?" James spat. It was like a reflex, with the speed of it.

"Shit," Edward hissed, bringing himself over to the counter as fast as he could hobble. Hopefully, he could clarify and change the receptionists perception of what was more important than a four letter word, "No, sorry. Listen hun, I'm trans-gender. I've not had sex-reassignment surgery or anything like that. I am pregnant…" He trailed off as the receptionist spoke over him.

"Guy, guys, the joke's still on you. You're not in the system. Please leave."

"No, we…" Edward didn't like to think that Victor had forgotten to do what he promised. But, he'd also promised to meet them in the reception and get them out of sight as soon as possible, for their sake.

"Well, can you admit him?" James urged, before Edward was just about ready to take his leave and head back home.

"This is a women's hospital," She sighed, moving back to her previous task.

"He's got a vag', what more do you want?" James gestured towards the aforementioned area.

"James," Victor called, "Why is it that whenever I join your conversations, you're almost always talking about the female genitalia?" His interruption was a godsend to Edward; he genuinely didn't know where that conversation would have gone and he didn't really want to. "Honestly, Edward, are you sure he's gay?"

"Well, it is debatable," Edward quipped, referring to his bump.

Victor gave Edward a brief look, "Wow, you're looking great, given the twins," Edward took it for a compliment. He was rather impressed; he evidently knew what he was talking about as he hadn't told Victor he was carrying twins (they'd kept it short and sweet over the phone, panicking a little). "Annette, he is on the roster. Get him admitted," Victor spoke firmly to the receptionist.

She had a quick glance at James, biting her lip from his triumphant expression, "He isn't on there. I've already tried."

"I did pu-…" Victor paused for a moment, then hissed at his reaction and how unjustified it was, "No, nope. That's my fault. Elise, it's Elise Sharp-Stuart you're looking for." He went to put his arm around Edward's shoulder but he looked a little sore, so Victor gestured for them to follow him.

James gave a subtly pissed-off Edward a nudge, whose low gaze flipped between him and Victor. Now, James was pissed off, "Victor, why did you use Edward's old name?"

He was quick to defend himself, "I'm so sorry. I thought it was the computer being picky and not letting me change his name. But, Eddie, you had your double mastectomy before you changed your name, and you've not been to hospital since so you've not had a chance to tell them, and I need official docs anyway." He meant no ill on Edward's pride. They all knew that. The fact that Victor seemed to go above and beyond what might have been necessary redeemed him as well.

They finally stopped in front of a door at the far end of a corridor, shrouded from the main bustle of the maternity ward by a wall. Edward appreciated how secluded it was but he was still not intending to stay.

James took the liberty of following Victor into the room, gently tugging Edward by the arm behind him. Victor stood to one side and let them survey the space. Edward's gaze ricocheted across the room but his expression was stiff, contorted into a scowl. It was okay. The only thing wrong was the location, the fact that his bed wasn't there and neither was Hiro and he wasn't having any contractions. It was hard to put it into perspective, considering what he and James had been through to get here but it still wasn't enough.

"Now, do you want to get yourself settled?" Victor gestured towards the birthing-bag. James nodded, pulling Edward over to the bed and helping him hoist himself and a full-term set of twins up onto it. He unpacked the bag and slid Edward's favorite pair of pajamas that he had so lovingly packed onto his lap. He'd hoped that would make him feel a little more comfortable. Edward recognized them, even with his bump obstructing them a little. He gave James a weak smile but figured that he deserved something more. He went in for a quick peck on the lips as Victor spoke gently, "Is there anything you have in your birth plan that I should know about?"

"Not really," Edward said as plainly as he could. He didn't want to seem rude. Of course, he had no doubt that Victor knew how to deliver a baby but there was no way he was doing anything to compromise his dignity. Hiro had for weeks but he was their _intended_ midwife for their _intended_ home-birth and Edward was used to it by now. Plus, they were paying him to do it.

" _Okay_ ," Victor droned, appreciating how uncomfortable Edward must feel. He wanted to make him feel as at ease as he could, "Do you need anything, like a yoga ball or-?"

" _Fuck_ , no," Edward chuckled halfheartedly. It had only been a few hours and he was looking back and laughing.

* * *

 **A few hours earlier:**

"Open your eyes!" Thomas chirruped. Edward could hear his feet tapping in anticipation, along with a strange, heavy, rubber-on-wood sound. He opened his eyes before it left too much up to the imagination.

"Ta-dah!" Percy used his jazz-hands to attract Edward's attention towards him, more specifically, what he was sitting on: a yoga ball.

Edward snorted, pleasantly surprised, "Oh! Boys, whoa! How did you…?"

"It's good for labor," Percy proudly proclaimed. Donald and Douglas were sat on the nearby couch, and only partially engrossed in their puzzle-solving game. They raised an eyebrow each, unimpressed and wanting a little more explanation from Percy before they intervened; they were two encyclopedias-worth of (potentially) useless knowledge, "Opens up your pelvis…" He cautiously gestured, looking to Thomas for clarification.

"We did some research," Thomas nodded at the twins, who had already given Percy a wink of approval.

"Tha' house needed one anyway," Donald gave Douglas a nudge.

"They ordered a second one so we can play _Collision_ ," Douglas responded plainly, still engrossed in a particularly taxing section of the game.

"Obviously, when you're a lil' more able," Donald gestured towards Edward's bump.

Edward found Donald's choice of words a little insulting, "I'm pregnant, I'm not an invalid." He coupled his statement with lifting himself from the couch without any aid, though he had to shuffle forward on his seat a little and arch his back at a cringe-worthy angle to balance himself.

"Do you want to try it?" Percy eagerly scrambled to his feet, the yoga ball almost tripping him up.

"Of course!" But first, Edward pulled them both in for a hug, either side of his bump. The boys didn't quite know where to put their hands, not wanting to rest them on the twins in case they hurt them or Edward. The detached set of twins giggled at how uncomfortable it looked, to which Percy and Thomas quickly removed themselves before Edward figured out what they were laughing at.

His descent onto the yoga ball was enough to set them off again but even Edward found it funny. He stuck one of his arms out behind him and flailed his hand in an attempt to find the ball and steady it so he could sit down, all while trying to support two full-term twins tugging at his midriff.

The struggle was hilariously painful to watch, so Donald volunteered himself and Douglas, who was still preoccupied with a seemingly impossible puzzle, "Boys, hold the ball, we'll get Eddie." He nudged his twin.

"Donald, don't. I think I've got this," He stubbornly continued, vigorously tapping at the screen of their handheld console.

"Douggie, _Stamp Stumper_ can wait. You cannae deny to help a pregnant man in need."

"That's a puzzle in itself," Douglas reluctantly closed the console and felt immediately relieved to be rid of the puzzle (for now). The twins smoothly linked arms with Edward, who giggled at their over-exaggerated sincerity. Thomas and Percy kept a foot each against the yoga ball to keep it steady.

"And dip!" They all said in unison and (bar Thomas and Percy) squatted until Edward was finally resting on the ball.

"Oh..." Edward, keeping two hands on his bump, gently rocked his hips, his aches and pains melting away, "That's actually really nice!" He nodded at the two younger boys, both looking very smug.

"Aye, really? Well," Douglas nudged his twin. When he had his attention, he gestured towards Edward's hips, checked to make sure they both had the quip in mind and then sung, simultaneously with Donald, "Your hips don't lie!"

"Oh!" Edward joined in with the twins' pun, chuckling at their observation. Thomas and Percy found it funny too, also astounded at how much energy Edward had, despite his tiring burden.

"Ah well, stay on that, that'll get you in tah' labor," Donald winked encouragingly.

"I can't stay on it all day! I've got baby-fat to work off and food to treat myself to afterwards," Edward tried to shift himself off the ball, attempting to balance himself and his abdomen. Trying to hide his struggle, he carried on talking, "Besides, I'm due today anyway so I might make it there under my own steam." His last words sounded a little strained as he shifted into a position the babies weren't particularly fond of and they let him know with a kick to both ends of his bump (they were 'topping and tailing', a prime position so Edward didn't need a C-Section to deliver them).

"Aye," Donald rushed over to help him, as did Douglas.

"You might," Douglas wrapped Edward's arm around his shoulders and out his own around his waist to give him his full support. When Donald did the same, they finally had the balance to bring him up comfortably. It took his own weight off his hands, giving Edward a chance to relax, a little too much for the boys to handle. But the yoga ball was there to cushion the short drop so they had a chance to get a grip.

It was a good thing that Edward was back and balanced on the ball before the twins swiftly pulled away to avoid getting wet.

The rush of the fluid gave him goose bumps. He was so dazed by the embarrassment, he couldn't comprehend what was being said around him.

Percy gasped, "Does that mean 'the babies are on their way?'" He tugged Thomas' arm excitedly, who was also a little giddy.

"No, no, no…" Donald uttered, not in reply to Percy but at the severity of the situation.

"Eddie," Douglas knelt beside Edward, rubbing his back for what little comfort he could provide, "You're not having any contractions, are you?" He didn't know why he'd asked; Edward's face was enough to tell anyone that something was wrong. It certainly wasn't the apprehension of labour. He had a high-pain threshold, from what he'd told them.

"No," Edward whimpered, biting his lip.

"Not even like, a little twinge?" Donald probed but received a blunt shake of the head, "Anything?"

Edward shook his head sharply, "Shit."

"Shit indeed," The twins chorused.

* * *

 **The Present Day:**

"Oh, okay," Victor chuckled to try and lighten everyone's mood, "No then, no to the birthing ball."

"And then," Edward continued, a little ticked off as he'd been interrupted, "The twins rang the midwife and he said I had to come here. Did I have to come here?" He lazily gestured.

"Hiro's your midwife Edward, he has been these nine months. Do you not trust him?"

"No, I…" Edward groaned. Hiro just didn't give him the answer he wanted to hear with the same foolish optimism he had.

"He's not told you that you have to come here to purposefully make you feel uncomfortable. He knows that you don't want to be here as much as I do. I understand, I get it."

"But you don't! You don't…" Edward whined, shaking his hands in exasperation with every flick resonating his sharp tone.

"I do," He tapped Edward's thigh, " How many women do you think walk through those doors, claim they're going to do it au natural and then, five hours later, they're begging for epidural? Some come in and want one straight away but I have to tell them it's too late and they're too far along. Plans change all the time. Every labor is different."

James concurred with a nod towards Victor. He nudged Edward, urging him to take some solace in Victor's words. He tried. He really did, "It's just not fair."

Victor sighed, "I know. I know. But, just, think about it Edward. You have had a _dream_ pregnancy, considering you're chocked up full of testosterone. Your twins are small but they're healthy which is great news for you." Victor gestured casually towards the same taboo area James had before which Edward found quite funny, "I mean, come on, I've already said this but you do look great."

"You do look amazing, and you actually have The Glow," James quickly butt in with a defensive peck to Edward's cheek, not that Victor had implied that he didn't say it enough.

There was a small smile from Edward and he gave in as James pulled him into his chest with his arm around him. Victor still sensed a little tension as Edward's eyes darted around the room, taking a particular interest in the machines that would, of course, look frightening to those who didn't know what they were for. His eyes widened as they passed over the fetal heart monitor. At that point, Victor decided that the panicking wasn't good for the mother (or the father) or the twins, "Okay, Edward, how about a compromise?" That wasn't the right word to use, really. What Victor was about to suggest was in everyone's best interests and Edward would be wise to take it, "I'm going to ask that you stay in overnight."

"Well, that was inevitable," Edward sighed. He sounded a little less disappointed than Victor had expected but, then again, he was preoccupied. Victor cocked his head, noticing him pressing his hands against his back.

"Hey, hold on. The babies are definitely ready to come. They're giving your back grief?"

"Babes, do you want me to…?" James rolled his wrists. He halted Edward before he had a chance to move and shifted himself so he was behind him. He slid his shirt up a little and then began to knead the muscles of Edward's back with his knuckles.

Victor smiled warmly, "Very good James. Good to know that you've been doing your research."

"Yeah," The couple both smirked. They were nothing if not prepared (for most things). Edward let his head roll back with the weight of his thoughts, on what they were supposed to do now. Victor was prepared though.

"Anyway, I want you here on a strict labour-inducing routine. I'm talking lots of strolls, lots of eating weird foods, all of the above, to see if we can get your contractions to kick in naturally."

Edward complimented Victor by looking at him as he spoke, "And if they do, I can-."

"You can go home."

"Woo, thank god," He sank into James' chest, finally relaxing.

James didn't reciprocate the mood, "And if nothing happens…?" He said, as a matter of fact.

"James," Edward moaned, "We can wait."

"No," Victor shook his head solemnly, "No, I'm going to have to put you on Pitocin. These twins will need to start coming. You're full-term and twins are usually born early anyway. They're healthy enough and there's no room for them to grow anymore."

"So, when the Pitocin has got me into labour, I can go?" Edward was persistent. He certainly wasn't counting on keeping himself or the twins here for another night.

"I…um," Victor hesitated. It may take some gentle persuasion (or some deceit) to get Edward discharged in the midst of his labor but this case was exceptional so, maybe, an exception could be made, "We'll see how consistent your contractions are." Again, maybe that wasn't the right word to use (when contractions get more intense and closer together) but the couple nodded in acknowledgement. Victor was impressed by how much they already knew. The same level of preparation from all expectant mothers (and fathers) would be beneficial to them and to him.

"Alright. Okay. So," Edward wafted away James hands from his back and maneuvered himself off the bed without toppling over, "What first?"

"Curry?" James confidently stated, following suit.

"I'm impressed, James," Victor chuckled, "They're great for getting you into labor. The canteen do a great curry. I nip up and get you one."

"Oh no, Victor, it's okay. I'll get it," Edward shook off his gesture, his words spiked with determination, "I need the walk. It'll help."

"Are you sure Edward? I can't imagine that everyone out there is going to be as open-minded as Annette," He quipped.

"Have you got a wig?" Edward really had brightened up.

"Ah, are you going to shave as well?" James knocked his partner's chin up with his finger.

Edward rubbed his cheeks, his stubble prickling his hands. It was still a fairly surreal sensation, "Oh dear…" Cross-dressing wasn't the answer.

"Eddie, start pacing and have a think about it, and I'll ring Emily."

* * *

 _Author's Note:_

 _I really didn't want Edward to have a relatively 'normal' birth, let alone, a cliched one. It really gets on my tits when I see how childbirth is regularly portrayed in today's films and T.V. shows because I know from wanting to be a midwife not too long ago and doing a little digging that it's far from the truth. That's why I'm getting an awful lot of gratification from writing this fan-fiction and sharing it with you. Edward's birth is going to be real and gritty, but not without the uncommon complications James addressed in the previous chapter._

 _ **Please leave an in-depth review** if you have the time, while this is something I've wanted so to desperately share with you for a while. I would love more than a 'I like this.' Tell me **why** you liked it and even better, **anything you think I could improve upon**._

 _Thomas And Friends © HIT Entertainment_  
 _Fan-fiction © Teenage-Oddball_


	3. From Across The Pond

Author's Notes:  
 **Fandom:** Thomas And Friends (In this story, any character's present are in a humanized state.)  
 **Fan-fiction:** Deviating from The Norm - Chapter 3: From Across the Pond  
 **Pairings:** EdwardxJames  
 **Warning:** Yaoi and Trans-MPreg. Please read Deviation before you begin reading this fan-fiction for context and continuity.

* * *

Mather Manor was a fond nickname given to the house in which Edward and James resided, along with 8 others. It was no manor, but it had the space to support them all. Those who wanted a room of their own were able to have it, though it was helped by the couples who wanted to share: Donald and Douglas were as inseparable as they were at birth; Thomas and Percy were given a place where they could play exclusively, and leave their toys lying around; Edward and James needed their own space, enough said.

The house and how cramped it was bore a symbol for the comradery its residents shared. Those initial relationships, formed forcefully in a student flat in Knapford, Sodor, lay down the basis for the life they now shared together. Edward, Emily, James, Donald and Douglas, Duck and Oliver had been put together in their student accommodation at the University of Suddery. They did gel and moved into a house for their second academic year, a nicer, larger, cheaper accommodation owned by a man who was equally as such. He was a man who deeply valued their tenancy and their cleanliness, considering they were students. His gratitude and good-will was reflected in his will, when he offered a house on the mainland to one of the flatmates who was struggling financially, all expenses paid. The house was too large for even just two people, so the others took up the space. People came and people went. Edward's father, Gordon, had slipped casually into the space with his younger son, Thomas, along with Emily's father, Henry, who also took on the role once again as best as he could with her much loved son, Percy, who's arrival was as much to her surprise as everyone else's. Duck and Oliver had relatively recently taken off on a globe-trotting tour of the world with their savings, rather conveniently at the time when Edward and James were about to (attempt) to bring home their first child.

Their two new arrivals were a guarantee this time and although they weren't coming yet and Edward was in no more discomfort than he had been this last trimester, Emily still wanted to get some home comforts to him sooner rather than later, while he was stuck overnight in a place he'd rather not be. She scurried around the couple's room, not afraid to infringe any privacy they had. One of the first things she grabbed was the double duvet, covered in a modest, beige and gold bed sheet. Having been in the same hospital herself (in a similar situation), she knew how unrealistically thin their blankets were and how cold Edward was bound to get. As she folded the duvet on the floor and tried to get it into a plus-size Selfridges bag to deliver it with dignity, she caught the sight of the detached cot that leaned against the wall. Before she could be a little disappointed that the couple (or rather, James) hadn't assembled it for the twins' arrival, a plastic shard, evidently from the cot, implied that it couldn't stay together any longer, it having been broken. How or why, she wasn't certain but she had an inkling as to when.

* * *

 **A Year Earlier:**

Duck's stomach was tightened from the excitement the day would bring. There would be a new baby to greet, though it would only be a quick 'Hello.' He piled another large travel bag into the corner by the front door, it being the last of his baggage. He tried not to be anxious but there was always the nagging feeling that he'd neglected to pack something important, though he had been very organised. He had to be, with how long he was traveling for. You'd expected him to have been, with how much he had looked forward to this trip. He was meeting Oliver at the airport that night, where they'd head to their first destination and surprise an unaware Gator (and hope for him to give them a bed for the night).

Leaving one friend for an adventure with another, Duck would miss Edward dearly. He was comforted with the knowledge that he'd have a baby to keep him occupied and wouldn't miss him too much. He wouldn't have left Edward to fend for himself with the baby (under the assumption that James wasn't going to pull his weight) but it was just where the time of the trip had fallen. And, as James' staple red car was seen pulling into the driveway, Emily was just about to ask Duck if he was ready to leave.

"Talk about a quick meet and greet," Toby chuckled. He managed to squeeze in his goodbye-hug with Duck just before things got to hectic with the new baby arriving, not that it wasn't that hectic already with almost everyone resident crowded in the hallway.

"Don't Toby, I feel so bad," In all honestly, Duck was glad that Toby was giving him some attention given what about to happen. Not that he wasn't happy for Edward but he was about to take a large step into the unknown as well.

It seemed that Edward's stride would be that bit larger.

"Guys," Donald whispered sharply, coming out of the front living room, "There's no baby." His twin, Thomas and Percy followed suit, shaking their heads to back him up.

The older ones were slightly taken aback by the severity in the Scot's voice, though the accent didn't help. Henry piped up, trying to take some of the panic away from the situation, "Well, of course, they might have had to stay in hospital for a few more days. They are quite fragile, you know?

"No, Henry," Douglas insisted, "They look miserable as fuck."

"Douggie," Emily said sharply, nudging her head towards Percy while Gordon cocked his gaze towards his own son, urging him to not repeat what he had just heard. The two boys shrugged and neither confirmed nor denied whether or not they said the word before, let alone heard it.

"I'm sorry, I just really panicking," Douglas shook his fists, trying to disperse his energy.

"Seriously," Donald put his arm around his brother, "There's no baby, no baby carrier, nothin.'"

Gordon was now slightly irritated, and a little anxious, "Because the baby might have had to stay! How long have they been waiting f-?"

The lock clicked and a relatively unscathed James opened the door to allow a very drab Edward enter first. He kept his head hung low, the silence weighing him down. He caught a glimpse of Duck's travel bags. He knew he couldn't pull away and try and change the subject, wish Duck a safe trip. His face was enough to tell everyone what had happened. He didn't want to drag the attention away from Duck and his moment. He shielded his gaze with his hand and hurried towards the stairs, scampering up to his room. James had expected that much.

"Sorry guys," He apologized on Edward's behalf for his sharp exit without any explanation, "There is no baby. S'cuse me." He tried to squeeze past Gordon and see to his partner but a firm hand kept him at bay.

"Now, James, he's just going to want to sit there and sulk. Let him," Gordon sighed, not at Edward's behavior but at his previous misconceptions; the twins were right to have been anxious, "Tell me, what happened."

James shrugged, "She wants 'keep it," He tried to further detach himself from the child. Gordon was a little stunned with how blunt and emotionless James was. Then, his body jerked as he yelped and he held his hands to his eyes to try and stifle the tears. Gordon wasn't a stranger to sadness but he was hardly an able comfort. Henry took James into his arms and led him into the kitchen. Gordon followed, along with the younger ones, all of them curious.

Duck glanced up the stairs, "Em', I can't go now," He shook his head, and Emily shook hers.

* * *

 **The Present Day:**

Of course, Duck had got on the flight that evening, while Edward sat sulking. Emily couldn't imagine how torn he must have felt. She also couldn't imagine how unforgiving any other person would have been given what he did, but Edward was Edward, a very understanding Edward, who was always a firm believer in not letting others dictate your life, not to let them emotionally drain you and have you carry their problems as well. Not that Edward had made her do this, but Emily was defying all of this right now for his gain.

She's come home from work to nothing but the sudden news that Edward had to go into a hospital because of complications with the pregnancy. She'd gone out of her way to put together a little pack of all of the things she knew Edward would appreciate and then, she'd set out on a fair trek to Liverpool at her own expense. She was tired. She was ready for a bath. That said, she knew Edward would be feeling the same way.

Though the house was by no mean structurally unsound, it still rattled when someone rushed through its halls or was a little heavy-footed. Henry could hear Emily prancing across the floor of the room next to him, getting a little anxious despite how normal the shaking was. He sighed at her selflessness as he put away his laundry, putting Percy's plush cat to one side which he'd also washed by request of the boy, who had just wandered into his room.

"Granddad?" Percy asked, though he need not continue.

"Percy, your cat's clean," Henry chirruped, tossing the stuffed animal towards him. As soon as he caught it, Percy pressed the toy to his nose, comforted by how pleasant it smelt, much better than it did this morning when Edward clumsily knocked a glass of orange juice all over it, which upset him far more than Percy.

"Thank you!" He acknowledged the rattling from the other room, "What's Mum doing?"

"She's getting some things together for Edward. Come here Percy," He gestured with his hand as he sat on the bed. Percy clambered on the bed, only to move onto his grandfather's lap, "Your Mum is really tired and she'd love to go to bed right now but she's going to do a nice thing for Edward. Do you know what would make her feel better?" Percy looked puzzled, "A big hug from you, and tell her how much you love her." He nodded enthusiastically and trotted off to Edward and James' room.

"Mum," He caught her in a hug, halting her mad dash for a second, "Love you."

Emily chuckled, though she wasn't a stranger to these wonderful displays of affection, "I love you too Percy," She popped a kiss on his forehead before getting back to the task at hand, "I'm so sorry, I have to go and see Edward. If you ask the twins really nicely, I'm sure they'll help you with your reading for school tonight."

"Can I not come with you and see the babies being born?" He stepped in front of her with a pleading smile.

Emily was quite pleased with his fascination with the whole process, and couldn't be prouder with how well he'd taken Edward's situation in general, without prejudice, without disgust, "I don't think they'll be here tonight, it takes a while," She came down to his level, "I know you want to see Edward and make sure he's okay, and I'm sure he'd appreciate that but at the same time, giving birth can be quite embarrassing in front of a lot of people," She was speaking from experience. When she had Percy, it felt like everyone and their Mum was in that birthing suite.

"But you're going…" Percy moaned.

"I'm not staying, I'm taking this stuff and then I'm coming home."

"I want to help too!"

"If there's anything you can do, you know I'll tell you," She stroked his head, how much larger her hand was weight it down a little, bringing his gaze to the stuffed animal in his hands, reminding him of how much a comfort like that helped him.

"Will this help?" He chirruped, thrusting the cat into her face.

Emily caught a whiff of the washing powder, instantly reminding her of the house, "I'm sure he'd love that!" She took the cat and held it, ironically, like a baby. She remembered the smell of the women's hospital faintly, but that reminded her of an industrial accident. She figured Edward would appreciate this most of all, "You're so kind Percy, I'm so proud of you." The compliment made him giggle with a glee that always warmed Emily's heart.

She gathered together the essentials and said her goodbyes, grimacing as she passed the living room and realizing her favorite evening show had started.

Whilst driving, she tended to drift off into a trance, fully immersed in the road. Her ringtone suddenly beginning to play knocked her out of it, albeit roughly. She answered the call through the car's system, not knowing who it was.

"Hello."

"Hello Em,'" Sang a familiar voice with a Somerset twang.

"Duck, hi!" She replied, pleasantly surprised. Then, something dawned on her, "Oh my god, this call will cost you a fortune, what are you doin?'"

"Not if we're in the same country, it won't," Emily sensed a smirk on the other side.

"You're home?"

"Yeah, I may have told you the wrong end-date for my tour."

"I booked that day of work, you scumbag," She joked.

"I wanted it to be a surprise!"

"Well, congratulations! So, are you on your way home?"

"I'm actually still at the airport. I was kind of hoping that you would be able to give me a lift," He trailed off.

Emily had booked the date when Duck had said he was going to come home off so she could come and give him a lift, save him getting a taxi from Liverpool to Runcorn. It would've been no different now, except she was already running an errand for a heavily pregnant Edward who still hadn't told Duck the heavy truth that he was not only trans-gender but also pregnant. He was insistent that a web-call wasn't the time or the place to deliver such a truth.

"No. Yep, that's fine. I'm heading over there now, not a problem. We might have to make a little detour on the way back home though."

"That's fine! I'm so sorry to have sprung this on you."

"Honestly, it's fine." It was nothing compared to what Edward had to deliver to him later. Heh, **deliver**.

* * *

 **A Few Moments Later:**

"Why are we at the hospital? Emily?" Duck asked sternly.

Emily was astounded that he'd said 'hospital' rather than 'women's hospital.' The large statue of a breastfeeding woman on the roundabout clearly hadn't registered with him, "Nothing's wrong, I promise and you'll get why in a second."

He caught sight of Percy's surprisingly clean stuffed cat on the back seat and his anxiousness went through the car roof, "It's not Percy, is it?" He covered his mouth as he shook his head.

"No," Her Scottish twang making her sound more irritated than she was, "It's not-."

"Emily, Jesus, just tell me. I'm freaking out."

"It's…It's Edward."

"Oh my god! No!" He yelled, overcome with guilt, "He's depressed, isn't he? Because of Millie? He tried to hurt himself, didn't he?"

"Oh my-! Duck, that's a fucking shot in the dark if ever there was one. You're as bad as the twins. There's nothing wrong, I said so."

"Why the hell is he in hospital if there's nothing wrong with him?"

"There isn't anything wrong with him, relatively speaking, "She muttered, "You'll get it as soon as you see him, I promise."

"Oh, fuck my life," Duck sighed as he swiftly slid out of the car.

He did overtake Emily at some points as they made their way through the hospital, but then discretely hung back when he realised that he didn't know where he was going. He kept his eye on Emily, not the signs. He didn't even click that they were in the maternity ward.

Emily rang James, hoping the no- mobile-phones rule didn't apply in the lobby. She urged him to come to reception and after James made several attempts to just give her directions to the room, he finally met them in reception upon her request.

James noticed Emily straight away, while that was who he was expecting. He was trying to ignore a dirty stare from Duck and by extension, Duck, who he definitely wasn't expecting. "Hi Em,'"James gave her a forced smile, though his ill will was aimed towards Duck, "He'll appreciate all of this, cheers," He tried to take the bag off her, but she lightly pushed him away.

"Ah, I want to see him as well and so does this one," She gestured towards Duck.

"Oh, Duck, you're home early," He spoke with an element of dull surprise.

"Your powers of deduction are staggering James," Duck replied, also lacking in enthusiasm.

Emily pursed her lips at their petty behavior, "James, let him in."

"'Not my call," James flailed his hands, "Edward's the patient."

"Why don't you ask Edward for me then James?" Duck raised, "I think he'll be alright with it though, we are kinda best friends as well, we might as well be soul mates. Whatever he tells you, he tends to tell me."

"Oh, really? So you know why he's here then?" James spat.

"James," Emily nudged him a lot firmer this time, "You know why he doesn't know, come on." She started to pull him towards where she thought Edward was but now, she didn't know where she was going, "Duck, stay here, I'll text you." Duck nodded and sat in reception, looking no more normal than Edward did when he sat in the same spot. He was in his comfiest travel clothes of shorts and flip-flops and a large t-shirt, perfectly normal attire in Britain's Autumn months.

"Emily, I swear to god," James began when he was out of earshot of Duck, not that he cared.

"He called me on my way here, he'd just landed."

"Why didn't you take him home?"

"Because I thought it would be nice for Edward to see him. As much as you don't like him, he and Edward are pretty tight, admit that."

"I get that but can we just not tell Edward that he's here?"

"James, that's not fair on Edward. What if he wants to see him? What if he wants him there for the birth?"

"Oh my god, please don't say that. I really don't want him there."

"Surely, it's about what Edward wants?"

"Em', I love Edward so much but I think I hate Duck that little bit more."

"I cannae understand James, why do you hate him so much? I swear you didn't hate him this much at Uni."

"Because I barely saw him with lectures and shit! Now, I friggin' live with him and hi-."

"You haven't lived with him for almost a year-."

"With him and his shitty accent and…"

"It's his accent?" Emily tugged on his arm, halting them both.

"No!" James moaned, "He's just irritating, and he thinks he's better at everything because he can afford to go travelling and shit."

"Stop saying shit," She eyed the other midwives and was almost certain that they thought that they were having a domestic, "So it's just his accent and…" She tried so hard not to mimic James.

"Oh come on, even you can admit he's a pompous…" The lack of an ability to swear meant his vocabulary was severely lacking.

"No James, it's literally just you. I don't think anyone else has had a problem with him."

"So it's my fault?"

"Exactly. Just try and grin and bear it, and stop taking digs at him. You started that in reception."

James gave a gruff sigh as pushed open the door to Edward's suite. Emily wasn't sure what to expect, whether he'd be as detached from the whole patient situation as possible and sat on the guest chair rather than the bed, or covered in wires and baby monitoring equipment and looking extremely sorry for himself. He was a loose combination of both; He was sat on the bed with his legs crossed in his favourite pyjamas, though the top was pulled above his bump to make room for the Doppler tied around his middle to keep track of the twin's heartbeat. He was fiddling with James phone rather than his own, but Emily then remembered that he'd left it at home in the rush and she'd picked it up for him before she left.

"Hi Eddie," She sighed with sympathy, though she could only partially relate to his situation while her birth had gone relatively to plan.

"Hey Em!'" He opened his arms to hug her, it being easier to do so while he was sat down despite the bump.

"Is it as scary as you pictured it?" She chuckled, referring to the hospital.

"It's cold. The food is cold. Their equipment is cold," He tugged at the Doppler around his middle.

"Well, I've got something that might help with that," She brought the bag with the duvet inside onto the bed. Though it was partially covered, Edward knew exactly what it was.

"Oh Emily, ha-ha!" He was happier than he would've normally been to see his bedding but he was a hormonal wreck.

Emily giggled as she hauled the duvet out of the bag. Edward lay back and let it smother him. Even the twin's seemed to relax with the familiar warmth, releasing some of the tension from his middle.

"But wait, there's more!" Emily reached into her handbag and handed Edward his phone and headphones.

"Oh my god, thank you!" Edward had always loved his music, he'd felt a little lost without his phone.

"And Percy also sent…"She pulled the plush cat from the same bag that the duvet had come in and rested in on Edward's bump, as if it was hugging him, "This, all clean as well."

Edward's eyes welled up a little. Granted, it was probably because he was already emotionally unstable from the twins but he knew how much this toy meant to Percy. They might as well be joined at the hip, rather like Donald and Douglas when they were born (though for them, it was a little impractical).

"Oh Emily, bless him," He blubbered, rubbing his eyes with the cat's paws.

"I thought it would smell a little more like home."

"It actually does!" Edward bundled the cat's body under his nose, thankful for the change from the hospital's scent.

"You look a lot happier already!" Emily hoped she had brought some happiness to a hopeless situation.

"Thank you so much Emily, you didn't have to do this," He rubbed his eyes again, still feeling overwhelmed.

"Oh Eddie, it's no trouble. What happening anyway?"

"I'm going to stay in overnight and see if my contractions kick in and then I can home."

"If they kick in," James took Edward's hand, trying to show what little support he had for leaving the comfort of the hospital's sterile environment, "If not, we're staying."

"I think you'll be alright," Ever the optimist was Emily, "I know I've only had one, but maybe it is the twin's. Maybe it just takes everything a little to kick in. I hope you get your homebirth."

"So do I," Eddie nodded towards Emily, glancing towards James, hoping he'd share their optimism.

"Just in case you do stay though, I did bring some baby clothes in the bag as well."

"Cheers Emily."

"I also might have might have picked up something else on the way here," She trailed off with a cheeky smile.

Edward glanced at James, who had rolled his eyes as he leaned back into the guest chair. He was puzzled, "You didn't bring me a take-away, did you?"

"Not quite, no. Guess who rang me and wanted a lift from the airport?"

Edward clocked-on instantaneously, "Duck's home?" His abdomen tightened again.

"He's in reception," Emily nodded excitedly.

"Oh my-. Does he know? Shit," He hissed, feeling a little guilty. He tugged at the duvet a little, trying to obscure the bump, though he knew Duck wasn't in the room.

"Honestly, he doesn't know. He thought you were in here because you were depressed and you'd slit your wrists." Edward snorted, "Yeah, that's what I said too. You are gonna have to tell him though, he's worried sick."

Edward bit his lip, glancing at James who looked just as disgusted as he expected him to look, "Um, fuck, how? I don't really want him to just walk in here and see the bump. He doesn't even know that I was a woman."

"Um…Get under the covers, like, on your side."

At that point, James finally made a move, taking Edward's hand as he struggled to shift onto his side, a movement that the babies didn't particularly like. They all shifted the duvet so that it bundled around Edward's middle, making it look like it was the duvet that was bulging out. Despite his relatively healthy look, Edward looked a little feeble lay in the position that he was in, with the wires from the Doppler looking a little sinister as they trailed from the bed to the nearby foetal heart monitor.

So, of course, Duck found it hard not to be a little panicked when he finally saw his long-time friend. The time they'd spent apart hadn't helped either.

"Hi Duck," Edward said as casually as he could, though he sounded a little rough around the edges, contributing to his friend's worry.

"Shit, Edward," Duck rushed to his side, taking his hand a little over-dramatically. Emily couldn't help but stifle a giggle.

"No, please, I know it looks bad," Edward graciously took his hand, more for Duck's comfort than his own.

"It is bad, you're hooked up to all of this shit. What happened?"

"It's one thing Duck," James chimed in, chuckling. He was finding this all too amusing.

"James is right, it is just one thing and it's literally just a heart monitor. Just, calm down," Edward halted all opportunities for Duck to interrupt him, trying to get the truth our sooner rather than later, "Duck, did I…um, ever tell you that I was transgender?" He gritted his teeth nervously.

Duck was by no means against the idea. It was truly just the abnormality of the statement that caused his silence, "Oh! …shit, that… um," He didn't know what to say. He wanted to make a joke, to show him that he was okay with it, not just provide an awkward silence, "That explains a lot. That explains your nice legs."

"Oh, thank you!" Edward effeminately gestured, ironically, "I got rid of the boobs, of what little there was to get rid of-."

"Did you have tea-bag tits?" Duck raised his eyebrows, easing into the idea of Edward's previous life, almost forgetting about the hospital setting.

"That's the perfect analogy for it. It was meant to be, I suppose. But yeah, I didn't get rid of everything." He saw Duck's eyes flick straight towards his abdomen…or his crotch, he couldn't decide which though he figured he got the idea. Duck now realised how stupid his previous assumptions where. He continued to search for the bump while the covers where doing such a good job at concealing it. Edward decided to put him out of his misery and rolled back the duvet, "So no, I didn't slit my wrists after Millie," There was a slight hesitation when before he said the name, "We just made our own," He looked at James to make sure he wasn't feeling to scorched by Duck's presence.

Duck flailed his arms a little before clenching his fists, trying to contain his shock and excitement. Out of pure curiosity, he reached out and placed his hand on Edward's bump, a little shocked to find that it was a part of him, and an unborn baby (or rather, babies) was a real prospect. James had been watching Edward closely and noticed he hadn't flinched or tensed when Duck had touched him, and he always seemed irritated when he tried to engage with his unborn children. Now James was irritated. Emily noticed but thankfully, Edward didn't.

The pregnancy didn't continue to be the topic of conversation. Much to James' annoyance, it drifted towards Duck's adventures with Oliver, though Edward was the one who asked him about his travels. He courteously didn't mention Gator in front of Emily and his hedonistic lifestyle, avoiding his responsibility towards Percy. Emily then drifted off to attend to those duties, taking Duck for a shower and some well-deserved R&R, and leaving Edward to do the same, far more to James' delight than his partner's. James didn't mind not having a bed to sleep in that night, though Edward had offered to move up a little so he could squeeze onto it as well. He was just glad he didn't have to spend a night in the same house as that combine harvester-driving twat of a Somerset Cuckoo.

* * *

 _Considering how much I didn't want to write this chapter, it's one of the longest yet. It was needed though while I needed to establish a couple of important plot points. I apologize if you find it a little rushed, I really couldn't be arsed with this part but I hope you get more enjoyment out of reading it than I did writing it. Lot of backstory here. Take note that some of the family relationships shown here aren't part of my permanent head-canons, they're literally just for the sake of this story in particular._

 _ **Please leave an in-depth review** if you have the time, while this is something I've wanted so to desperately share with you for a while. I would love more than a 'I like this.' Tell me **why** you liked it and even better, **anything you think I could improve upon**._

 _Thomas And Friends © HIT Entertainment._

 _Fan-fiction © Teenage-Oddball_


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